Louisville, KY – January 18, 2019 – Crappie anglers from several states will travel to Weiss Lake at Centre, AL to participate in a Crappie USA (CUSA) Tournament Trail event presented by Bass Pro Shops Cabela’s. Local and traveling anglers will be vying for cash, prizes, and an opportunity to compete at the 2019 CUSA Classic which will feature a guaranteed payout of $125,000 in cash and prizes.

Alabama’s Weiss Lake is on the Coosa River in northeastern Alabama. The 30,200 acre lake is owned and operated by the Alabama Power Company. The lake is fed by the Coosa River, Chattooga River, and Little River. It offers over 447 miles of shoreline and shallow flats, large coves, under-water drop offs and deep channels. It is well known for a good population of crappie.

Last year’s competition on Weiss required 11.54 pounds to win the pro division. The winners were long-lining in 7 to 10 feet of water. The top amateur team weighed in an even 11 pounds. They caught their fish tight-lining live bait on the edge of creek channels back in the coves.

How to Enter
Teams may consist of one or two anglers, with a third member allowed if the angler is under the age of 16 years old. Early registration can be accomplished on the CUSA website at https://www.crappieusa.com/Tournament_Registration.cfm. Teams may also enter by calling (502) 384-5924 or by entering at the mandatory pre-tournament seminar on the night before the tournament begins. Entry fees vary by length of tournament. All fees are posted on the website linked above. Late entries are subject to a $25.00 late fee.

Participating angers must be a member of the American Crappie Association (ACA). See the various membership levels at https://www.crappieusa.com/Membership_Information.cfm. Each membership will include a subscription to the official publication of Crappie USA, one of the top crappie fishing publications in the nation.

Registration and Seminar
Late registration and a pre-tournament seminar will be held the day before the tournament at Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce, 801 Cedar Bluff Rd., Centre, AL 35960.

Registration begins at 5:00 pm. A National Sponsor Field Test Product Drawing accompanies the seminar starting at 7:00 pm local time. This seminar is open to the public. Those not fishing the event are encourage to attend this meeting and meet some of the region’s top crappie anglers.

The Weigh-In Site
The tournament weigh-in will be held at Graves Three River Landing, Junction of Alabama Hwy & County Road Hwy 63, Centre, AL 35960 beginning at 3:00 pm. This is the perfect opportunity for non-competitors to learn how the big ones are caught. Interviews of the top 5 teams are conducted following the weigh-in.

Sponsor and Host Lodging Site
The Cherokee Chamber of Commerce and the City of Centre, Alabama welcomes all Crappie USA anglers and their guests to the area and hope they take the opportunity to enjoy the local attractions. For more information on the area visit the website at http://www.cherokee-chamber.org/ or call (256)927-8455.

Host lodging is provided by Weiss Lake Lodge, 998 Cedar Bluff Rd., Cedar Bluff, AL 35960 (256)-927-1501 and Bay Springs Country Inn, 130 County Road 112, Centre, AL 35960 (256)-927-3618. The number of rooms in the area may be limited. It is recommended that participants make their reservations early.

Crappie USA “Free Crappie Kids Rodeo”
A FREE Crappie Kids Fishing Rodeo will be held in conjunction with the tournament at the weigh-in site.

Sign up will be Saturday morning at 8:00 am. The Kids Rodeo is from 9:00 am – 11:00 am. The Crappie USA Kids Fishing Rodeo is a chance for children of the area to get out and enjoy nature, do a little fishing and win some prizes. The event is free to all children 12 years of age and under. All participants are eligible for a chance to win one of the six, Crappie USA $1,000.00 scholarships to be awarded at the 2019 Cabela’s Crappie USA Classic. All participating children must be accompanied by an adult.

Crappie USA and their anglers have contributed $350,000.00 to the “Crappie Kids” Scholarships since 1997. CUSA is very proud to be a part of the education process for the youngsters who participate in the tournaments as adult/youth teams and those who fish in the Crappie USA Kids Fishing Rodeos.

The Classic Championship

The CUSA Classic Championship will be held October 23 – 26, 2019 on Old Hickory Lake, Gallatin, TN. It features a guaranteed payout of $125,000 in cash and prizes.